It is above all thanks to the rangers that the ibex was saved from extinction, and today there are nearly 4000 specimens present in the protected area. The guards, 62 in all, have a thorough knowledge of the park's territory, its animals and its environment, and they provide a service which is quite unique, watching over the territory from dawn till dusk.
All this is made possible by a network of more than 50 ranger "lodges". In use from May to October, they provide indispensable logistical support for patrol, monitoring, and scientific research, in a park characterized by considerable differences in altitude between the valley floors and the mountain summits. This network of service structures is complete with centres for the study of the alpine fauna, the rangers' quarters, and guest accommodation in all the valleys.